Cao Chao wrote:Although I think that Global Warming will and can become a major problem, I greatly dislike how it has been over-hyped by the media.
I'm sorry, but I can't let this pass. Wrong on oh so many counts. Ranbir has already pointed out the ozone layer error.
Cao Chao wrote:As a whole, global temperatures have fallen for the last 200 or so years, although temperatures have risen in the last 100 years as the world is warming itself from the "little Ice Age" that we experienced.
Global Warming is an issue of grave importance, but scientists, especially those studying weather patterns stretching back many years do not have an accurate picture of the temperature cycles that the Earth naturally undergoes. Unless we know this, we cannot completely say that Global Warming is a result of human waste, although pollution definitely plays a factor.
Our last ice age was about 10,000 years ago. Since then we have had a warming cycle that lasted up until around 4000 years ago (when it was on average warmer than the 20th century). Since then we've had slow fluctuations of global temperature, with mini cold snaps and so forth.
All of this can be demonstrated using evidence from ice cores, peat bogs and alluvial deposits. There is masses of research into climate and environment change, global temperature modelling and so forth. We know enough about global temperature cycles to recognise what is happening.
The difference with the changes we've been aware of over the last 50 years are that global temperature is changing faster than in any recorded time period ever. The change is exponentially all in one direction, and all the indicators are that we are making it worse with just about everything we do.
Cao Chao wrote:Another problem that I find troubling about Global Warming is the fact how useless all efforts have been at trying to reduce pollution. The Kyoto Protocol, the much-hailed protocol that many say America should have remained as a signee of, was useless. The total effect of 5% reduction of greenhouse gases would only have resulted in approximately a .2 degree Fahrenheit reduction in the rise of temperature by 2010. This miniscule reduction is nothing, in the grand scheme of things.
The only thing that has attempted to make a difference internationally is the Kyoto protocol. The advances made by all the signatories were counterbalanced by the increase in pollutants from one country that refused to sign - the United States. President Bush has promised to share technology with a range of developing and developed Pacific nations to assist with the control of greenhouse gasses. Interesting, since the United States seems particularly poor at controlling its own.
Cao Chao wrote:Unless the world truly wants to tackle the issue and unless we find out more about the temperature cycles that the Earth undergoes, Global Warming does not deserve to be as big an issue as it is today.
The world does want to tackle the issue. Some people and in particular some countries like to pretend it isn't happening, or that it has nothing to do with them.
If some people don't reckon Global Warming deserves to be a big issue they should move to the Maldives. They could then sit on a beach and announce to the sea that it should go back and not engulf the whole archipelago in the next 25 years - I'm sure it will take notice.
Anyone who doesn't act to control global warming now has effectively declared war on the Maldives, New Orleans, Holland and many other low lying parts of the world. Have you read John Wyndham's "The Kraken Wakes"?